Populate

Propagate Mechanic Speculation

New 27 Jul 2024 Asked by beechdallama 4 Comments

Hey Mark, with proliferate and populate both being done already, what do you think a mechanic called Propagate would do were it to be similar to the other two?


Populate was called propagate in design which I to this day sometimes mistakenly call it. I have no idea what else it would do.

Copying Abilities

New 20 Apr 2024 Asked by zombsidian 21 Comments

"Red can temporarily copy things, and green (with certain restrictions) can copy its own creatures."Doesn't White also make copies, with effects like populate or effects like Preston the Vanisher? Also, Black likes to make copies of dead/exiled creatures, usually making them different creature types (ie Sauron, the Necromancer/Kinzu of the Bleak Coven/Activated Sleeper)


White can, in certain circumstances, copy token creatures, and black sometimes uses copy technology in reanimation. Both are very limited though in their use of copying.

Noncreature Token Populate

New 07 Apr 2024 Asked by honor-basquiat 42 Comments

Hello Mark,

What would you say the chances are of an eventual mechanic similar to Populate but that would instead work for noncreature tokens? Or perhaps even a mechanic that would let you propagate creature tokens AND noncreature tokens.

I'm asking because Populate was originally created 12 years ago and there are a lot more noncreature tokens nowadays (i.e. Treasures, Foods, Maps, Clues, Blood) so it would be neat if there was a mechanic that copied or cloned those types of token permanents.


There are always chances.

Populate Storm Scale

New 06 Mar 2024 Asked by dale-aficionado-blueberry 26 Comments

Where is populate on the storm scale?


A 6. It requires a lot of build around in a set.

Mechanics Together Prediction

New 05 Aug 2023 Asked by dwarf-scum 37 Comments

Do you think we will ever see fabricate, proliferate, and populate in the same set? I assume it would most likely have to be something like a horizons or masters set, but those three mechanics seem like they would be fun to see together in a limited environment.


Modern Horizons is the only place I expect to see them together.

Populate Mechanic Optimization

New 16 Jul 2023 Asked by arcanistlupus 37 Comments

Does populate work better in an environment with a lot of different types of tokens, or one where most of the token producers produce the same type?


Different tokens. That’s why being in white and green was important because we needed to generate a wide variety.

Selesnya Mechanic Logic

New 16 Jul 2023 Asked by thetitan555 36 Comments

What informed the decision to make copying creature tokens the Selesnya mechanic, when copying creatures is almost exclusively blue?


White and green are the top two token makers which is key to making populate relevant as a mechanic. Think if it more of creating tokens than copying tokens.

Populate's Color Identity

New 13 Jul 2023 Asked by thetitan555 41 Comments

How come Populate is green and white, and not blue?


Because it was introduced as a Selesnya mechanic. It could be done in blue if Populate returns in a non-Ravnica set.

Vanilla Planeswalker Concept

New 01 Jul 2023 Asked by j-waffles 76 Comments

Could we ever see a French Vanilla planeswalker? i.e. all their loyalty abilities are just keywords (ex. investigate, proliferate, populate, etc)


Is there a reason to do this other than to say we did?

Populate in Blue

New 30 Jun 2023 Asked by lover-in-blue-deactivated202404 26 Comments

Could we ever see Populate in blue? Or is it one of those situations where narrowing an in-color ability makes it out of color?


Blue can do it.

Exploring Token Copies

New 08 Mar 2023 Asked by strix-soven 27 Comments

Token copies of any creature and copying existing tokens are not the same thing. Populate and Preston, the Vanisher are 2 different types of mechanical color pie. Asker wanted to know if we can expect more like Preston.


Making small token versions of other creatures you control is something white can explore a bit more.

White Token Copies

New 07 Mar 2023 Asked by mournfulodysseus 38 Comments

Hi Mark! Is Preston, the Vanisher an indication that white is dipping its toe into making token copies of things? I love nothing more in Magic than making token copies, so the more the merrier as far as I'm concerned!


White was already allowed to copy tokens (see populate).

Design Contributions Highlighted

New 11 Jan 2023 Asked by pancakemisery 108 Comments

Hi Mark,I've been seeing some pockets of the online community being rather focused on making snide remarks about you, in particular, about what people see as design mistakes. Honestly, I think a lot of it, even if the criticisms have valid points, are just needlessly mean spirited and not trying to come from a place of good faith criticism. I think part of that is people focusing on the more obvious mistakes but not knowing the things you've spearheaded that have been perceived widely as great changes for the game. What would you say are some of the biggest changes for the game that have been as close to universally accepted as good that you played a significant part in having made happen? Because I think people would be surprised about what they love that you helped make happen.


Some of the things which are popular that I had a major hand in:Bonus SheetsChangelingColored ArtifactsConstellationCreature Types as a Set ThemeCursesDevotionDouble-Faced CardsEnchantment CreaturesEnergyEquipmentFaction SetsFlashFlashbackFocus on Top-Down DesignHybrid ManaImprintKeywording of Deathtouch, Lifelink, Reach, and “dies”LandfallMorphMuch of R&D Lingo (”French Vanilla”, “Lenticular”, etc.)Planeswalkers (the card type)Player Psychographics (Timmy/Tammy, Johnny/Jenny, Spike)Poison ReturningPopulateProliferateProwessRace/Class RaidReusing of Named Nonevergreen Keyword MechanicsSagasSplit CardsSquirrelsVehiclesThe Weatherlight Saga

Populate Mechanic Update

New 19 Dec 2022 Asked by mitch1238 26 Comments

If or when: An overhauled version of Populate to allow more flexibility ("Populate X," etc.).


If. It’s already a pretty powerful ability.

Populate Mobile Clone Mechanics

New 15 Oct 2022 Asked by themartiangeek 18 Comments

If you populate a Mobile Clone, do you get all the stuff on and attached to it or just the original creature?


You get every sticker and counter on it and every aura or equipment attached to it.

Populating Animate Object

New 08 Oct 2022 Asked by themartiangeek 20 Comments

Since Animate Object considers the object a token, what happens if you populate it?


You sadly don’t get the stickers which means it has no toughness and will immediately be removed by state based effects. You can copy the stickers with Mobile Clone though.

Populate Mechanic Story

New 10 Jul 2022 Asked by imaginejarjar-main 41 Comments

I’ve been playing around with a populate deck, and I have to say, I absolutely love this mechanic! Nothing like getting an 8/8 elemental off of grove of the guardian, and then replicating it two or three times


When I first created populate it was more proliferate-like. It copied one of each token. It took one playtest to realize that was a huge mistake. : )

Populate Copying Token Real Creatures

New 08 Jul 2022 Asked by radioactivestardust 30 Comments

Is populate copying token real creatures (eg from Kiki-Jiki activations) a feature or a bug?


A feature.

Can Blue Get Populate

New 08 Jul 2022 Asked by dungeonmasterryan 38 Comments

Could Blue get populate?


Yes. Blue is primary in cloning.

Possibility of Artifact Populate

New 02 Jul 2022 Asked by doopboopdoop 31 Comments

With artifact tokens being so much more common could we ever see populate for artifacts?


It’s getting more and more possible by the day.


Portions of Marodigest are unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Wizards of the Coast Fan Content Policy. The literal and graphical information presented on this site about Magic: The Gathering, including card images and mana symbols, is copyright Wizards of the Coast, LLC. Marodigest is not produced by or endorsed by Wizards of the Coast. All other content © 2024 Webscape Internet Engineers. All rights reserved.